Friends of Parkinson’s, a nonprofit organization that serves, educates and advocates for those affected by Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in Nevada, has raised an appeal for funds to support its various activities, as well as grow its personnel capabilities to reach more people and families dealing with the progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
Jamillah Ali-Rahman founder of, Friends of Parkinson’s
Friends of Parkinson’s was founded in 2014 by Jamillah Ali-Rahman, an executive with a background in nonprofit organizational development and advocacy. The organization works through three programs, the Parkinson's education series, which includes an annual medical symposium; various support groups and activities; and, an information and referral center for people diagnosed with PD.
The organization’s various support groups and activities include an art therapy program that brings fun to the physical, occupational, and speech therapy activities of people living with Parkinson’s. The art therapy program encompasses a visual arts division, known as Art for ParkinsakesTM, music and speech therapy under the Las Vegas TremblersTM singing group, and physical therapy through the Dancing For The Health Of ItTM program.
According to Ali-Rahman, these activities help people with PD to enjoy life and live in the moment, helping them deal with the progressive and degenerative nature of the disease. It also helps them remain busy and active, especially with scientific studies showing that physical activity can slow the progression of the disorder by up to 30%.
“The reality of Parkinson’s disease is that today is as good as it's ever going to be, so I am encouraging people to live in moments rather than days, weeks, months or years. We seek to help people with PD to become more mindful and help them live well right now,” Ali-Rahman says.
The organization’s educational component seeks to reach the community in various ways, including through a highly technical medical symposium featuring brilliant scientific and medical minds, as well as a lighthearted Funny Bunny Race every April, which is Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
The information and referral center works with community partners and maintains a database containing crucial information and contacts. This allows Friends of Parkinson’s to refer people who have been newly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease to medical professionals and to various resources they need to manage their condition.
With additional funding, Friends of Parkinson’s will be able to expand its operations in all three areas, allowing it to reach more people. It seeks to hire more people and expand its marketing activities, allowing it to cast a broader net.
According to Ali-Rahman, the additional funding will allow the organization to take its programs and platforms to new states and cities. However, she also stresses that any future collaborations in other areas will have the same local character that Friends of Parkinson’s has in Nevada because she believes that it’s local organizations that have the most profound impact on people’s lives.
“I believe that, as an organization, we are only limited in our scope by the weight of our purse,” Ali-Rahaman says. Over the years, we’ve been able to do a lot more with few resources than many well-funded organizations. Today, we’re at a point where we need people who are smarter than me to come in and support the organization. I've done a great deal with Friends of Parkinson’s, but now it's got to grow. For it to grow, it needs new blood and expertise, which can only be achieved by raising funds.”
Interested individuals and organizations can support Friends of Parkinson’s by donating online.
Media contact:
Name: Jamillah Ali-Rahman
Email: [email protected]
